diff --git a/src/httpfetch.cpp b/src/httpfetch.cpp
index 6e7e22f86..67b60df45 100644
--- a/src/httpfetch.cpp
+++ b/src/httpfetch.cpp
@@ -749,19 +749,6 @@ static void httpfetch_request_clear(u64 caller)
 	}
 }
 
-static void httpfetch_sync(const HTTPFetchRequest &fetch_request,
-		HTTPFetchResult &fetch_result)
-{
-	// Create ongoing fetch data and make a cURL handle
-	// Set cURL options based on HTTPFetchRequest
-	CurlHandlePool pool;
-	HTTPFetchOngoing ongoing(fetch_request, &pool);
-	// Do the fetch (curl_easy_perform)
-	CURLcode res = ongoing.start(nullptr);
-	// Update fetch result
-	fetch_result = *ongoing.complete(res);
-}
-
 bool httpfetch_sync_interruptible(const HTTPFetchRequest &fetch_request,
 		HTTPFetchResult &fetch_result, long interval)
 {
@@ -779,7 +766,8 @@ bool httpfetch_sync_interruptible(const HTTPFetchRequest &fetch_request,
 		} while (!httpfetch_async_get(req.caller, fetch_result));
 		httpfetch_caller_free(req.caller);
 	} else {
-		httpfetch_sync(fetch_request, fetch_result);
+		throw ModError(std::string("You have tried to execute a synchronous HTTP request on the main thread! "
+				"This offense shall be punished. (").append(fetch_request.url).append(")"));
 	}
 	return true;
 }